A Buried Roman Bronze Inkwell - Chemical Interactions with Agricultural Fertilizers

• Published in: Studies in conservation Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 110 - 117
• Main Authors: Rémazeilles, Céline, Conforto, Egle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 01-01-2008; James and James (Science Publishers) Ltd; International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
• Subjects: Alloys; Art and archaeology; Bronzes; Copper; Corrosion; Environmental conservation; Generalities; Inkwells; Laboratory technics; Lead; Lead industry; Lead mining; Methods; Phosphates; Physical and chemical analysis; Research principies; Bronze; Roman antiquity; Degradation; Silver; Corrosion; Analysis; Lead; Copper; Alloy; Inkpot; Metal object
• ISSN: 0039-3630; 2047-0584
• DOI: 10.1179/sic.2008.53.2.110

Degradation of archaeological artefacts sometimes leads to unusual corrosion products. Techniques have been used to analyse the upper disc of a rare Roman inkwell. Made of leaded bronze and decorated with silver and copper, the object was well preserved in spite of some changes. Corrosion products have been analysed and found to be mainly lead corrosion products. Among them, lead sulphates and lead phosphates such as anglesite and hydroxypyromorphite have been identified and detected all over the surface. The object was discovered during excavations in the middle of a field in which cereals were cultivated. These particular corrosion products were attributed to the result of specific interactions between the metallic alloy and residues of agricultural fertilizers and soil amendments, extensively used for decades in this field. This information is significant because of the nature of the changes.